Harmony in Discord
by SparkleLiekYeah
Summary: Set Mid New Moon. Bella is tired of pretenses. She can't fight the itch anymore. She's going back to the people she knows the most: Dean and Sam Winchester.
1. Chapter 1

It had been months.

Bella Swan glared at the laptop screen, before slamming it shut. She refused to believe anymore. She refused to hope anything could come out of her twisted fantasy that they would just magically return and everything would be back to normal.

Miserably, she let her head fall to the desktop. Hands blurred in front of her, and hot hands cradled her head gently, dropping it painlessly.

"Be more careful, Bells." Jacob's voice was admonishing, and Bella just wanted it all to go away.

"Go away," she muttered.

Jacob looked at her in concern. "What's wrong, Bella? You sick or something?" He was hovering. He knew how much she hated hovering.

"Stop!" her reprimand was sharp. "Stop hovering, goddammit!" He winced away from the curse. "When did you start cussing like that?" he asked warily.

"Since you started hovering around like some fucked up mother hen," she retorted, lifting her head off the table and glaring at him. "I want some time alone," she declared. "Go back to the rez, Jacob."

He shook his head condescendingly. "Bells, I'm supposed to stay with you until the others have gotten her, right?" he enunciated clearly, babying her.

Her fists clenched and she gritted her teeth. She hated being babied.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm not in the mood for your hormonal wolf bullshit," she warned him. These days, she never was in the mood for anything.

He bristled. "What crawled up your ass?" he muttered, running a hand through his hair as he turned away.

You, she wanted to scream. The pretense was suffocating. Why did she want this life again? This helpless, doe-eyed baby chick act? Innocent as a lamb, her ass.

_I want in again_, she realized sulkily. The restlessness and the frustration had all balled up into a supernova of longing; she had the itch again.

She needed to be Isabella Swan again. Not clumsy, sweet little Bella. She sneered at the name. Too weak for her taste. It did not do her, or her reputation, or her body count any justice.

Also, she was really sick of guys hitting on her, pretending they were Italian, when in truth they didn't know jackshit as they crooned, _bella, beautiful! _

She wanted back in so badly.

She heard the slam of the front door downstairs, and she froze. Jacob only snorted. "Charlie," he soothed her, turning to stroke her hair comfortingly. She ducked away from his touch irritably. He dropped his hands, not even angry. Bella had her days.

With a sigh of relief, she flew down the stairs, ignoring Jacob's calls for her.

"Dad," she greeted him uneasily, bouncing up on her heels. He nodded suspiciously at her. "Bella, what's up?"

"I'm restless," she said as delicately as she could manage, without betraying the inner turmoil just boiling underneath her skin.

He snorted. "I can see that. What's got you so worked up, kiddo?" She shook her head and frowned, meaning _don't even ask Dad._

* * *

He nodded curtly as she bounded over to the kitchen and began dinner.

She slid three plates full of smoking hot risotto on the kitchen table as Jacob and Charlie ambled in. Bell jerked her head towards the table.

"Time to eat, boys," she said curtly as she plopped down on a seat and she scarfed down the food, almost guiltily. _I wonder if those boys are having a proper meal right now, goddammit. _

Charlie and Jacob passed a knowing glance. "Must be her time of the month," Jacob muttered through the edge of his lips. Bella looked up and glared at him. "Excuse me," she said icily, and dropped any pretense of who she was the past year or so.

She walked straight out, ignoring Charlie's protests, and Jacob's weakly veiled warnings. She beelined to the forest, getting lost in the hazy, evergreen maze.

She lost track of time there, mindless and calming, as she trotted around, muddying up her Converses with barely a grimace. Somehow, she reached the edge of a cliff. "I'm so tired," she admitted, talking out loud for the first time since she walked out of the house. "I miss my boys so damn much. _I want back in."_ Her voice took a whiny, edgy quality. "I don't belong here," she whispered in defeated, hushed tones as she sat down at the edge, her legs swinging over a dark, olive green abyss.

She sighed sadly, and pulled out a necklace.

It was worn out, faded with time but its pattern was still discernible. Bella had lost track of how many times she run her thumbs through the familiar sign. She traced the star, the familiar tongues of flame flicking out, engraved in silver.

She looked up, at the cloudy moon and a bitter smile passed her lips. "I shouldn't have left, really," she murmured regretfully. "Charlie and I were wrong to leave so quickly. We both knew it was bound to end in that way."

She contemplated, thumb tracing familiar swirls and patterns.

* * *

Alice blinked in surprise as a vision gripped her tight, and locked her limbs tight. It was the kind of vision that was unchangeable, carved in stone. She hated visions like this. She hated losing an edge.

_Bella trotted over to the edge of a cliff, sighing as she sank down on soft, tufty grass. "I'm so tired," she whispered, the wind carrying the words away, losing them in the vast darkness of the trees underneath her feet._

_Alice opened her mouth to scream. It was a vision, there was nothing she could do._

_Bella continued murmuring to herself, her expressive hazel eyes saddened and haunted with some twisted darkness Alice had never seen before. She sighed again, pulling out a necklace._

_Alice was only barely aware of the arms shaking her wildly, as she scrutinized the necklace. She had seen it only once, half-falling out of Bella's pocket and the girl, noticing, almost tripped over herself in an attempt to catch it. Now, she watched, frozen, as Bella's thumb swept over the strange, ominous symbol._

_"I shouldn't have left, really," she murmured tranquilly. "Charlie and I were wrong to leave so quickly. We both knew it was bound to end in that way." What, Alice wanted to yell. Bella, what are you talking about?_

_An indescribable sadness passed through Bella's face before her mouth quirked to one side, and she unclasped the necklace, clasping it again around her neck. "It's a shame, really," she mused, standing up with sudden grace Alice never thought her best could possess. "I could've stayed here, and enjoyed it, actually, if it weren't for the Cullens and the pack," her last words ended in an angry hiss._

_Alice was taken aback, and hurt. "Bella!" she despaired, as she slowly swirled out of the vision. _

* * *

Bella grinned to herself. Her mind was made, and she knew what she had to do.

"It's time to prepare," she declared to herself. "I have forgive-me pies to bake." She walked leisurely out of the forest, knowing exactly where the way home was.


	2. Chapter 2

"Dad!" Bella singsonged, swinging in the front door, to frowns and crossed arms. She snickered lightly to herself. "Someone's grumpy," she teased mildly, pulling out her rarely used pie pans. _I have use for it again, _she smiled to herself softly.

"Isabella!" Charlie boomed. "What is going on, young lady?" She turned to grin at him. "I've decided Dad, I'm getting back in the business." She watched his anger drop in surprise. "W-w-what?" he spluttered, dropping his arms from his chest.

"I'm getting back in the business," she chirped happily. "Took me a walk in the forest to figure out, but I got it. I miss the road," she admitted quietly, turning her face down.

"Your skills are rusty," he challenged. She looked up and gave him the stink eye. "Is that a challenge, old man?" she taunted, flicking up a sharp, glinting knife in the kitchen's bright light.

Charlie and Jacob flinched.

"You have no one to go with!" he protested. She raised an eyebrow. "Who do you think I'm making pie for, huh?" she asked, dropping the knife, and placing her fists on her hips.

"I'll miss you," he said faintly, as a last resort, and her face softened. She traipsed over to his side. "I will too," she said softly. "Better than me being a zombie over that cold one, eh dad?" she tried to joke, only to be rewarded with a tight smile. "I don't think it's funny you fell in love with one of his kind," he muttered sternly.

She laughed. "Tell me about it! Wait til the boys hear about it. They'll throw a bitch fit so hard they'll topple the house over."

"If they'll have you," he remarked doubtfully. "Don't underestimate my persuasion skills," she warned laughingly. "You'll regret it."

"Someone please tell me what the hell you're talking about!" Jacob's frustrated voice cut through the comfortable silence as Charlie plopped down on the sofa.

"Nope." Bella popped the 'p'.

"Why not?" he growled.

"You wouldn't understand," she babied him this time, enunciating the words in a high, whiny voice. She hadn't felt this lighthearted in ages.

He growled deeper. "Try me." His voice was laced with anger and frustration. From the couch, Charlie snorted. "None of that shapeshifter bullshit in my house!" he commented, flicking on the TV.

Bella mumbled in agreement, tying her back and pulling it up in a messy bun. "A lot of apple pies, here I go," she murmured.

"You knew about cold ones, Charlie?" Jacob asked in disbelief. Charlie nodded noncommittally, grunting as he flicked from channel to channel.

Frustrated, Jacob stomped out, a hissy fit underway, like a true, hormonal lady.

Bella snickered as she called out to her father, "Dad, call the boys up. I'm pretty sure they'd like a few days' vacation."

* * *

Dean was frustrated. He was tired. And he was really sick of Sam's snores. He briefly contemplated smothering a pillow over his brother's face, but stopping himself, knowing Sam would probably haunt Dean afterwards.

So he settled for turning the music up a bit, just a bit, only to drown out Sam's annoying snores.

He kept his eyes on the road, absently tapping the steering wheel with his fingers when his phone buzzed quietly. He looked at his pocket momentarily in confusion; it was eleven fucking p.m. and people did not call at that time unless it was important.

He shoved a hand down his jeans pocket and freed the phone buzzing with a shrilly intensity. Sam muttered and fidgeted in his sleep. Dean glanced at the caller ID.

_Chief. _

Dean's mind kicked into alertness. Was there trouble in his rainy little town? Was Bella okay?

He pressed a button and put the phone to his ear.

_"Dean?"_ the crackling, strong voice did not nothing to calm him as he gripped the steering wheel tighter, half-consumed with worry.

"Charlie," he bit out. "Is everything okay? Do you need our help? How's Bella-" The chief cut him off with a deep laugh.

_"Calm down boy, the town's doing good. Bella could be better,"_ he heard the sigh and the rustling over the line.

"What do you mean?" he gritted out. "Spit it out Charlie, I'm getting an aneurysm here."

Charlie laughed again as Dean wondered briefly if the old crank was possessed, and before he realized what he was doing, he had already turned in a different direction. On the way to Forks.

_"Bella wants you to come to Forks,"_ Charlie intoned. _"I dunno why, but she says it's important."_ He heard the faint slamming of metal against metal, and Bella's disjointed, crackling voice, _"Hurry, Dean! Please!" _

He nodded tersely, even though he knew they couldn't see him. "See you in a few hours," he rumbled. "Keep safe, you hear? Me and Sammy are on the way."

_"How long?"_ Charlie asked.

"A few hours. I was on the way to Forks the moment you called, Chief," he permitted himself to grin briefly.

_"Alright then, boy. Just don't worry much, we're doing fine here."_ Charlie's voice was already distant, like he was focusing on something else. "Except Bella," he admitted roughly. "She's been through a bad phase. She's getting along though."

Dean grinned wider. "Don't sic your deputies on me, Chief, if I speed a bit," he chuckled fakely and ended the call with a flourish.

_To Forks we go. _

Dean sped up, his headlights throwing a beacon of comforting light against the stark, somber gray concrete of the highway.

Sam fussed in his sleep, tossing and turning. Dean sighed, his grin dropping like a hat. _I hope Sammy's not having anymore nightmares. I can't stand him screaming. _

He pressed his lips together and sped up even more, suddenly craving a pair of loving, mischievous chocolate brown eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

Dean slammed the Impala to a stop. He usually didn't abuse his precious car in any way, but he still worried about Charlie's call.

Sam jerked awake in the backseat. "What the hell, Dean?" he muttered. "We're in Forks," Dean explained in a rush. "Bella made us come. Said it was important."

Wow. He had never seen his brother shoot up so fast, and hit his head on the roof of the car. "Let's go!" Sam hollered, hair sticking up in different directions, a crazy, worried gleam in his eyes.

Dean laughed. "Calm down, bucko. We're already here." He gestured to the house grandly.

Sam skittered out so fast, Dean had no choice but to catapult himself out as well, partially from excitement. Partially from an unfamiliar feeling in his chest, uncomfortably tight.

They strolled tightly to the faded front door, the house unchanged, perhaps a little more battered, but it was still home to two people important to the brothers.

It was around 4 am, but Sam had barely knocked when the door flung open and tiny winks of sunlight hit her face.

_Jesus Christ._

_She's even more fucking beautiful than I remembered._

She beamed at them, before spritzing cutely from a spray bottle. Their faces scrunched up in surprise. "What the?" Sam spluttered. "Not demons," she declared, addressed to Charlie, inside, maybe watching TV or something.

"Hi boys," she beamed. "I missed you."

The tightness in his chest evaporated and understanding lit his face. _Goddamn, did he ever miss this girl so much._

She enveloped Sam in a hug first. "Stop growing!" she said gruffly, in her sweet, soft tones.

Sam laughed. "Stop shrinking, midget." He ruffled her long, heavy chestnut curls fondly. She sniffed and let go of him, tracing her gaze to Dean. If it was possible, she beamed even brighter. "Dean," she whispered. She threw herself at him, and automatically, his arms wrapped around her to steady both of them, her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms thrown over his broad shoulders, her face buried in the crook of his neck.

"I missed you," she mumbled.

_He really missed her. _"I missed you too, Bells," he rumbled softly, patting her back, and burying his face in her fragrant hair. _I hope I never let her go, _he prayed. _God, this is your chance to make it up for me. _Somehow, she didn't even loosen her grip when she commanded, "Into the kitchen, boys."

They laughed and trooped together in the kitchen, where Charlie was, sipping at his coffee with a glare. "Bella didn't let me sleep a wink," he muttered. "Hey boys. How was hunting?"

Sam shrugged. "Nabbed a few ghosts. You? What's up in this little town?"

Charlie snorted. "Them cold ones just left, thank God." Immediately, Dean felt the angel in his arms freeze up. He glanced at Charlie in concern, who looked like he was about to hit himself for the slip up.

"She made pie," Charlie hastened to add, standing up abruptly. "I'll get it, since she's buried in your neck, Winchester," he smirked, and Dean swore he felt her cool cheeks heat up.

"Shut up, Dad," she muttered, her warm breath going in circles against his skin.

"I thought it was important, princess," Dean smirked as Sam slunk down in a seat, and he pulled one out for Dean, since his arms were full of Bella.

"It is!" she protested. "I made you pie, now you boys need a vacation," she smiled charmingly, her dimples appearing.

"Well, it has been a while since we had home-cooked food," Sam muttered from where he was faceplanted against the kitchen table's cool top.

Charlie dished out the pie, and Dean's mouth watered. "Nothing like Bella's sweet pie after a long, tiring trip," he said enthusiastically. He glanced at Bella. "Honey," he said, uncharacteristically gentle. "I love you, but I want some of your pie."

She pouted, "Didn't you miss me, Deano?"

He chuckled. "I sure as hell did, sweetheart. Alright, stay on my lap. Feed me," he winked as he popped his mouth open. Happy to comply, Bella swiped a fork from the table and cut into the and pushed it playfully into Dean's mouth. "Eat," she commanded with a grin.

"You better enjoy your chocolate chip pancakes, Sam," she turned to face the other Winchester, who had abandoned the table top in favor of massacring the pancakes.

"You wock," he told her through a mouthful of pancakes. She smiled. "Drink your orange juice, dumbass!" she chided him."Alright, mom," he rolled his eyes.

"Quit it, giant!"

"Don't cry, pipsqueak," Sam grinned.

"Pie?" he prompted, and Bella turned her full attention to Dean again. "Say 'ahh'," she murmured, holding his jaw lightly as she aimed the forkful of pie into his mouth. He all too happily complied.

She smiled fondly at him. "I really missed you," she breathed. For the first time, Dean noted the dark bags under her magnificent chocolate brown eyes, her noticeable slightness and the sallowness of her skin.

He gulped, concerned. Sam glanced at their way, and frowned. He caught the concerned glance Dean directed at Bella and squinted at her as well. His breath caught.

"Oh Bells, you look terrible," Sam muttered. "What the hell happened?"

Bella smiled bitterly. "Being stupid, I guess." She ran a hand through her hair and her sleeve tugged down the tiniest bit.

Dean growled. "What the fuck happened to your wrist, baby girl?" Sam peered at it. "Is that... a vampire bite?"


	4. Chapter 4

"Um, no?" Bella asked tentatively. Charlie blew out a sigh, and stood up. "Well, I'm out. I don't want in on any of your drama."

"Are you sure?" Sam raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms and staring suspiciously at Bella. She flushed guiltily. "It's a long story," she trailed off, hoping to turn their attention somewhere else. Guessing by the look on their faces, it was a no go.

"Tell us, Bells. Charlie said something about how you weren't doing okay," Dean coaxed her. She gnawed on her lip pensively, looking burdened. "But you'll get pissed off and go on a rampage," she said mildly. "If it isn't obvious, I'm trying to get on your good side here."

Sam snorted. "You _are _our good side, Bells." She smiled faintly. "Promise me you won't topple the house over?" she asked cheekily, grinning at some inside joke. The boys shot each other an apprehensive glance, but nodded.

She ducked, her face surrounded by her long chestnut locks as she mumbled, "I dated a cold one and became best friends with a shifter."

It was quiet for barely a moment.

"WHAT?!" they both roared, rearing out of their respective seats, Dean gripping Bella tightly.

Bella flinched, and their sharp hunter eyes caught the movement. They relaxed marginally, but refused to let it drop.

"I wanted a normal life," she murmured quietly, running a hand through her hair. "I wanted an escape. Somehow, to pretend that a skinwalker wasn't even fucking in my vocabulary." She sighed. "I buried it all away. Smoothed my smile away. Told myself I'd be a normal girl, with normal academics, and a normal life." She smiled humorlessly. "Untraceable."

"Charlie was never into hunting as much as I was. Always said he wanted to keep people safe, and keep himself safe in the process. Chief of police in a tiny, forgettable town hit every bullet. So he stayed here. His lifestyle of occasional hunting trips weren't enough for me. But I tried so hard to change myself, so that I'd never have to face the possibility of being the very thing I used to hunt."

Dean and Sam exchanged worried glances and sat down. Bella wasn't sad, wasn't sorrowful, and wasn't tired in this way. Forks had changed her.

"I really thought it could be okay. No supernatural shit hounding me around." She laughed bitterly. "First day of school, and I encounter a coven of vampires. Animal drinkers, mind you. They were big on the good and evil concept. Killer: bad. Coward: good. Even though I knew from the minute they walked in what they were, I couldn't help myself. It's the teenage girl in me, to admire and love beauty. _To want it. _

"They were intrigued about me. I could handle that; intrigue is embedded in small towns, the very core of their boring little existences. I didn't mind them; my sudden arrival was sure to break shit apart. Anyway, come lunch I found that I was lab partners with one of them.

"It was terrifying," she sighed. "To feel his tension, to know that I was willingly sitting beside a hungry cold one all for the sake of worthless education. I somehow survived that. Don't ask me how.

"Anyway, I was grateful when he didn't show up the next day. Or the day after that. Or the week later. I knew his 'brothers' stared at me, wondered why I brought their uptight little brother to his knees." She licked her lips and shook her head. "I didn't want to. Honestly, it would've been better if I never had set foot in Forks again."

"You did what you could," Sam said tightly. "You know I wanted out of the business too."

Dean snorted. "Look where it brought both of ya. Brokenhearted and shit."

Bella and Sam sent Dean unimpressed glances. "Not our fault you like to fuck and run," Sam retorted while Bella stifled a giggle.

"Isn't that better?" Dean asked with a leer. "It's great for the both of us, no strings attached." Bella grimaced. "Don't need to know that, Dean."

"Yeah," Sam agreed. "We don't wanna know about the one night stands."

Bella shook her head again and laughed slightly. "Anyway...

"Days passed by. I won't bore you anymore with the details. My lab partner, Edward," she hissed slightly. "Was worming his way into my heart. Inch by inch. Asking personal little questions, dropping me dazzling little smiles. I fell. He did have a mysterious aura that attracted me. Truthfully, I don't know what I was thinking," she shook her head ruefully.

"We got into a relationship. We were doing okay. He had introduced me to his family, and I introduced him to Charlie. Nearly popped a vein out when he found out," she laughed. "Never liked the Cullens since. He took me the spend the day with his family." Her tone turned sad, regretful.

"We were out playing baseball during a thunderstorm. The Cullens play it loud, so they needed thunder. When Alice, a physic sister of Edward's, saw three nomads coming. It was too late to hide me; the nomads would get suspicious.

"In the end, it didn't end well. One of the nomads, James, took a fancy to me. He was a tracker. Fucked shit up. The Cullens went crazy, and ran off to hide me. He angered Edward so much. I remember how desperate and tense they were, as if I couldn't protect myself. I wanted to laugh. Me? Unable to protect myself? But my new persona was weak and quiet, so I knew revealing my hunter past would not be a good idea. I let them hussle me off to some hotel in Phoenix, since Renee was threatened," she frowned.

"I let them push me around, but when James threatened my mother by breaking into my house, it was too much. I went after the slimy bastard, met up with him in my old ballet studio, before I went hunting with Dad. Unfortunately," she remarked with a dry grin, holding her scarred wrist up, "he got me. I was in too much pain to see the Cullens swoop in and save me like misguided angels. But Edward didn't want me to turn, so he sucked the venom out..."

"Good to know he can actually think," Dean scowled, rubbing Bella's arms soothingly. Bella snuggled deeper into his chest, breathing in his scent. She nodded faintly.

"But my birthday came and went. You know I hate parties," she grimaced. "Too much attention on me, but they insisted. I got a paper cut, and Edward threw me into his piano." She closed her eyes briefly and massaged her temples. "His brother Jasper went crazy. He's new to the vegan diet, so human blood tempts him still. Three days later, he tells me he never loved me, and that he and his family are outta there." She smiled humorlessly.

"It took me months to get over that. Then I met my best friend Jacob, who acted every inch superior as the Cullens, just because he's supernatural as them," she wrinkled her nose. "I told him to fuck off," she added proudly. "It was subtext, though. I have a reputation to keep up," she joked.

Sam sighed. "Goddamn it Bella. We leave you for a couple of years, we find you've infested your father's poor town with supernatural beings."

Bella shrugged. "It's the Swan charm, Winchester."

Dean broke the silence as he swallowed the last of his pie with a satisfied burp. "So what now, Hells Bells? You ready to do a comeback?" he grinned. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she opened her mouth to ask him how he knew, but he cut her off. "Honey, I know you as well as I know Samantha over here," he smirked, and Sam made a faint protesting noise as he turned his attention to his pancakes.

She smiled. "You boys need a vacation first, of course. I'll cook food and clean your laundry. You boys smell!" she exclaimed cheerfully, pushing all the bad memories away.

_But Dean smells like a motherfucking treasure, _she sighs to herself, as she clings tighter to the older Winchester.


	5. Chapter 5

The days were a blur.

Bella steadfastly avoided the rez like a plague, and the boys hung around her so close the wolves couldn't get fifteen feet near her house or in the woods that surrounded her house without the boys looking out of windows suspiciously, cocking guns and glaring at the landscape outside.

Bella spent her days cooking, cleaning and talking to the boys. She hung around in the kitchen, cooking meals and baking with a passion that terrified even Dean. In her spare time, she slowly started to pack, dragging duffel bags out of her closet, and opening the false back of one of her cabinets. She sighed as she pulled out her favorite gun, a pump-action Remington rifle, as well as a handful of curved throwing knives. She liked knives.

She was weighing it experimentally in her hand when Dean knocked gently on her doorframe. "Hey baby girl," he greeted, leaning casually on the doorframe. She started, and flung the knife in the direction of the voice. It missed Dean's ear narrowly as he ducked down.

"Sorry Dean," she apologized. "My reflexes are a bit rusty, but I'm on edge when I have my weapons on me," she smiled.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Sure hun," he grinned. "At least your skills ain't completely gone. Just like riding a bike, huh?"

Bella grinned back at him. "Pretty much," she agreed. Out of habit, she glanced out the window, and she gasped out. "Dean! Wolves in the forest!"

Dean grimaced and shouted, "Sammy! Lock and load, we got a problem," striding downstairs, taking two steps a time.

Bella's grin faded, and her lips pressed into a thin line. Charlie was at the station, but he didn't need to know just yet. Only if she and the boys couldn't handle the problem. She picked up her Remington, checked the gun's condition and pulled out ammo from a separate bag. Grimly, she loaded her gun. She sheathed her knives and hung it on her belt, biting her lip. She didn't have time to tie her hair up, she lamented mentally as she flew down the stairs and out of the back door.

She hit Dean's back with an 'oof!' as Sam steadied her, never breaking his glare from the pack of wolves and the boy with them. "Bella, we're here to rescue you," Seth Clearwater announced.

Bella burst into giggles. "From what, Seth?" she asked sweetly, tucking her gun behind her back surreptitiously. He looked solemn. "From these redneck kidnappers," he clarified, gesturing at Dean and Sam who looked pissed.

"This isn't Tucker and Dale versus Evil!" she laughed, laying her head comfortably on Dean's shoulder. "They're my friends."

"They must've put a spell on you," Seth rumbled, in a deeper voice, and she knew he was voicing out Jacob's angry thoughts. She shrugged. "Your choice to believe me or not. But you know you're not supposed to be here," she pointed out. At Sam and Dean's confused expressions, she explained, "They formed a treaty with the Cullens."

"This is no man's land!" Seth exclaimed angrily. Bella pursed her lips. "The Cullens hung out here," she remarked icily, glaring at the wolves. Dean frowned, and wrapped an arm soothingly around Bella's shoulders. "Don't stress yourself," he warned. Bella looked up at him with a slight smile, relaxing fractionally. "Alright," she murmured.

A growl ripped out of one wolf as he reared back and curled his lips angrily. "Step away from him Bella!" Seth commanded, reminiscent of Sam's alpha voice. She hissed. "I'm not one of your pack dogs to order around!"

"You're Jacob's imprint," Seth protested and she snorted. "Fuck no. That boy wouldn't even know his imprint if God came down from the heavens and slapped it into his face." She pulled the gun from behind her and toyed with it, hearing the wolves yelp in surprise.

"Bella! Drop that," Seth commanded, using his Jacob voice. "You might shoot yourself." Dean and Sam exploded into hearty laughter. "I don't usually butt in with drama like this," Sam breathed, "but the last part was too much. What have you told this town, Bells? That you were a sweet little girl?" he grinned. She laughed. "Along those lines, I guess." Dean snorted and turned his face to Seth. "Listen here runt," he said threateningly. "Bella's none of your concern. Get the hell off Charlie's land before I shoot you off of it," he raised his gun and cocked it. Sam and Bella did the same, pointing their guns at the wolves.

"No," Seth growled, as Jacob reared back and launched himself at Bella, knocking the gun from her hands. She let out an angered cry as he pinned her underneath his huge, furry body and barked out a command, the wolves poised to strike at the boys. She screamed in frustration, wiggling around as she pulled an arm free and freed her knives from the sheath. "Get off!" she grunted, slashing blindly at his hind leg. Jacob let out a pained yelp but refused to budge, the wound already closing.

She hissed. "Go to hell, Jacob," she muttered, stabbing the large wolf with her knife, plunging it deep into his jugular. He let out a howl of pain and rolled away from Bella. She breathed a sigh of relief, jumping up and grabbing her gun, levelling it at Jacob. "You okay, baby girl?" Dean hollered, glancing momentarily at her as he insistently peppered bullets into the wolf that once was Paul.

"Doing good!" she hollered back, shooting Jake in the leg. She glanced around as she loaded in more bullets, shoving a hand into her pockets, drawing out bullets. She Sam bitchfacing at the big black wolf that was also Sam, while Seth was trying to attack Dean as well, his scrawny little body bouncing against Dean's broad, leather-clad back. She smiled a little, absently shooting at her ex- best friend's twitching body, half torn between shifting and staying wolf.

She heard the squeal of tires out front and the red and blue lights of Charlie's cruiser bounced weakly against the faded walls. "What is going on here?" Charlie boomed, bounding across the back yard to pull out his gun and aim briefly at Seth Clearwater, shooting the boy's leg and send him flying. "The goddamned wolves attacked Bella," Dean snarled, wringing Jared's neck and flinging the body away, aiming a few well-timed shots.

"I thought I told you to stay away from the house," Charlie growled, cocking his gun at Jacob's snout. He whimpered, his wounds closing with bullets half-lodged in them. "I don't care if you boys are 'protectors'.'' He sneered the word. "This is my baby girl we're talking about!"

"You tell them Charlie!" Sam grunted, pushing off a wolf. He shot it cleanly through the head.

The alpha wolf's broken cry rallied the remaining wolves together, sending them ricocheting out of the lawn and into the forest. Dean dropped his gun slightly with a rumbling hiss. "Cowards," he muttered wearily, walking over to where Bella had slumped to the grass, a wry smile on her face. "I just shot my ex best friend," she murmured with a lopsided grin.

"Did it feel good?" Dean couldn't resist asking.

"Hell yeah," Bella grinned.


	6. Chapter 6

It didn't take long to clean up; the wolves they attacked were just seriously maimed, halfway to dying. As Charlie and the boys dragged the unconscious wolf bodies to the edge of the forest where the other Quiletes would claim them, they hissed at the half-lucid boys a warning.

"I hope this serves as a lesson," Charlie warned, hefting up Jacob's limp form. He whined uneasily. "You don't mess with my daughter, you hear? Or me and the boys will mess with you," Charlie threatened, throwing Jacob's mutilated body heartlessly on the forest floor.

"You can just howl for your little brothers," Dean sneered. "We ain't helping you. Not after that trick you pulled with Bella," he grimaced in remembrance. "You better keep that in mind, mutt," Sam added forcefully. "Or we'll drill in it your brain when we burn your reservation down."

Seth hissed as Sam flung his bruised body carelessly beside Jacob's. "Remember that," their parting words went, trotting away, back to Bella.

Jacob growled weakly; his mind screaming out expletives as he heard his brothers come to his aide, their paws thumping loudly through the forest floor, an even tempo that could not calm his rising rage.

_We'll get her, Jake, _Seth soothed, wincing in pain as he clutched at his side. Leah let out an angered growl that surprised most of the animals in the forests.

_Goddamn vampire girl! _she snarled. _Thinking she's so fucking great. I'll show her great when I rip her throat out!_

_Leah! _Sam warned. _Even in circumstances like this, we cannot harm her. She is Jacob's imprint. _

She hissed. _You blind bastards! You know how imprinting works. The imprint loves the imprinter back! She doesn't love Jacob, _she sneered. _She's nothing but a selfish bitch. _

_Don't say that! _Jacob snarled. _Say that again and I'll rip you to shreds! She's brainwashed. Those goddamned rednecks have her and Charlie in a spell. When we save her, she'll snap out of it. _

He briefly imagined her turning around to face him, a thankful grin on her beautiful face as she would run to him, arms flung wide open, and when he would catch her, she'd wrap her legs around his waist and lose her fingers in his hair as she kissed him senseless-

_JACOB! _The pack howled in disgusted harmony.

_I'll get her back, guys. I'll save her, and you'll fucking see she's my imprint, Leah. You will fucking see. _

* * *

"Hi guys!" Bella called cheerfully from the kitchen, surrounded by the fragrance of her sizzling burgers on the pan. "Sit down!" she commanded with a smile. "It's almost done."

Three heavy, tired bodies hauled ass to the tiny kitchen chairs. "Damn Bells," Dean groaned. "That must be fucking Heaven." Sam grunted in agreement, as he reached up to the fridge and grabbed three beers, passing one to Charlie and another to Dean.

Charlie thanked Sam with a nod, popping open the bottle and tipping his head back with gusto, gulping the cool beverage down easily. Dean and Sam did the same. Bella turned her attention back to her cooking, humming faintly.

It took a few more minutes for the burgers to completely cook and for Bella to heap them on plates and slide them on the table for the boys. "Dig in," she remarked, leaning back on the countertop, poking at her burger to see if it was cool, before taking a bite with great satisfaction.

"What a day, huh?" she smiled.

Dean rolled his eyes, mouth bulging with burger. "Understatement," he mumbled. Charlie swallowed and turned his attention on his only daughter. "When are you and the boys packing up?" he asked gruffly and with a touch of nonchalance, but no one was fooled. They all knew Charlie hated Bella hunting.

But he could never stop her, he realized a long time ago. It was her life. It made her happy. He had no right to interfere.

"Maybe tomorrow," she replied carefully, watching her father keenly. She winced as her father visibly drooped. "Oh, okay," he mumbled.

"Oh dad," she murmured, putting her plate down and walking over to him, enveloping him in a tight hug. "I'll miss you." She swallowed thickly as the tears fought to surface.

Charlie was her most precious father, not that she didn't love Renee. But Renee would never love her in the intensity Charlie did, so fiercely protective and endearing. Letting a few tears fall, she clasped her father's face and bit back a sob. She memorized every line, every wrinkle, hoping and praying to God above he'd stay safe and healthy while she was gone.

"I'll miss you too," he choked out. "It'll kill me with worry, but there ain't a thing I can do," he smiled weakly. "It's your life, Bells, and I shoulda never forced you to stop hunting, if it made you miserable."

She shook her head vehemently. "You didn't force me! I chose it, Dad. For you and me and Renee. But Renee was never happy," she sniffled sadly, squatting on the kitchen floor, still hugging her father tightly. She watched the tears drip down sullenly, as if unwilling to fall.

"Just keep her safe," Charlie groaned, burying his face in her hair. "She's my little girl," he muttered.

Dean and Sam looked on, solemn and saddened. Sam shot his brother a worried glance. _Are we doing the right thing? _he asked hesitantly with his eyes.

Dean shrugged helplessly. His shake of the head told Sam, _it's not like we can stop her, man. It's her life. _

They both knew what was on each other's minds.

"We'd end the world for her, Charlie," Dean voiced it out seriously, Sam nodding vigorously. "We'll never let anything happen to her," he affirmed.

"Thank you boys," he surrendered with a teary-eyed sigh. He dropped his arms around her, and attempted to bite his burger heartily.

"You take care, okay Charlie?" she babbled, wiping away tears furiously as she stood up. "You eat at the diner, their food's okay. Good enough for you. Stay away from the rez, will you? Billy will surely hold a grudge." She sniffed again, burying her face momentarily in her hands. "Don't drink too much, and put on some snow chains in the winter, okay? Wear your parka. We know how cold it can get-"

Her rambling was cut off as Dean stood up abruptly, knocking the chair away as he strode over to Bella and wrapped his arms around her, shushing her softly and stroking her hair, tucking her head under his chin. "Stop crying honey, I can't stand it," he rumbled.

"I'll miss him!" she cried hysterically into his jacket. "We'll visit," he soothed. "I'll be okay, Bells," Charlie looked up with a gruff expression. "Did okay without you, and I'll still do okay. Don't worry about me, kid."

"I love you Charlie," she blubbered, buried in Dean's chest.

"I love you too, kid."


End file.
